Outlet connection for liquid containing tanks



July 31, 1945. w. .K. EB-EL ETAL 2,380,735

OUTLET CONNECTIONS FOR LIQUID CONTAINING TANKS Filed Aug. 25, 1943 FIGURE INVENTORS WILLIAM K- EBEL FRANCIS J- PEP RSACK BY m M A OFQNEY Patented July 31, 1945 7 UNITED STATE ou'rna'r comc'nou roa LIQUID oomammo rams William K. Ebel, Kingsville, and. Francis J. Pepersack, Towson, Md., assignors to The Glen L, Martin Company, Middle River, MIL, a corporation of Maryland Application August 25, 1943, Serial No. 499,896-

4'Claims.

This invention relates generally to the art of tanks for liquids and more particularly to con-' nections for tanks having flexible cell walls and a supporting wall which is relatively rigid as compared to the flexible-wall.

One class of tanks with which the present invention is particularly useful is the class shown in Gray et a]. Patent No. 2,102,590 and in Gray 8: De Weese application Ser. No. 338,052 flled May 31, 1940. Similar tanks and connections heretofore used with tanks of that class are illustrated in Pepersack Patent No. 2,321,417. The

present invention is an improvement on the fltting construction of the latter patent.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a fragmentary, sectional view taken thru an opening in a tank of the class described and showing vention;

Figure 2 is a plan view nulus of F18. 1; and

Figure 3 a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of annulus and adaptor.

- Figure 1 shows a part of the flexible wall I of a liquid-containing cell of the class described with its outer surface bearing against the inner surface of a supporting wall 2. Wall I may be composed entirely of the same material or of a plurality of layers of diflerent materials, depending on the nature of the liquid to be retained in the cell. For example, when the liquid is a high octane gasoline, the wall I may be composed of an inner one embodiment of the present inof the multi-part anlayer which is resistant to such liquid and whichmay be a synthetic rubber such as neoprene. The outer layer may be soft vulcanized rubber and the intermediate layer may be crude unvulcanized rubber. Such a construction is shown and described in Patent No. 2,321,417 and in application Ser. No. 338,052. The wall I is provided with an opening deflned by a cylindrical surface 8. A ring 4 is embedded in wall I adjacent to surface 8. This ring 4 is relativel stiff and non-deformable and may be made of metal or molded mate-- rial such as Bakelite. When wall I has an intermediate, crude, vulcanized rubber layer, the ring 4 is preferably as thick as that layer and engages the inner and outer layers on its opp site axial sides.

The supporting 'wall 2 which may consist of metal is provided with an opening therethru which is defined by the cylindrical wall I which is axially aligned with, but is larger in diameter than, wall I.

The adaptor! is hollow, has a cylindrical surflanges 8 and 8 projecting from the exterior thereof. The outside diameter of flange 8 is greater than the diameter of wall 8 and is less than the diameter of wall 5. when flange 8 is disposed in the plane of wall 2, the inner end of the adaptor projects slightly beyond the inner surface of wall I, and the inner surface of flange 8 bears against the outer surface of wall I adjacent to the opening therethru.

Attached to the outer side of wall I, as by rivets I0, is a multi-part annulus II. The inside diameter of this annulus is smaller than the outside diameter of flanges 8 and 8 and is larger than the surface I 2 of the adaptor 8 between flanges 8 and 9.

An inner clamping member I8 surrounds the inner end of adaptor 6 and engages the inner surface of wall I in axial alignment with ring 4. An outer member II is provided with a gasket I5 which rests against the outer surface of the outer flange 9. Bolt I6, which extends thru the inner clamping member I8 and outer member I and a nut ii on the bolt serve to press cell wall I against flange 8, and form a liquid-sealing contact between that wall and flange, and at the same time to force member II and gasket I5 against the outer'surface of outer flange 8 with liquid-sealing contact. This clamping arrangement eflectively seals the connection against escape of liquid between'the cell wall I,, adaptor 6 and member I 4. I

It will be apparent from Figure l and the foregoing description thereof that the unit, comprising adaptori andmembers I3 and I4 and cell wall I, may have limited movement relative to supporting wall 2. Normally annulus I I does not engage the adaptor proper or either flange 8 or 9 but it may engage the adaptor and either flange when the unit moves relative to the annulus. This unit may move axially within the limitspermitted by the space between flanges 8 and 9 and,

the annulus. Similarly, the unit may move radially within the limits permitted by the space between the inner periphery of the annulus and the outer peripheral opposed surface of the adapner and outer flanges an opening defined Since the annulus II P rts, they may be slipp d assembled adaptor unit and wall 2.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification of the connection shown in Fig. l and described above. In that flg-ure the adaptor is provided with two axially spaced, outwardly projecting, parallel, in-

2i and 22. A multi-part annulus 23 is secured, asby rivets 24, to supporting wall 25, a flller 28 being interposed between the annulus and wall 25 to compensate for the greater thickness of inner flange 2|. The inside diameter of the annulus 23 is less than the outside diameter ot the flanges 2| and 22 and is greater than the outside diameter of the exterior surface of adaptor 20 between those flanges. The thickness of annulus 23 is less than the axial distance between flanges 2| and 22, so that adaptor 20 may move a limited distance in an axial direction relative to the annulus.

It will be understood that a flexible cell wall, such as wall I of Fig. 1, will rest against the inner 'surface of flange 2| and be clamped thereagainst is made in a plurality of into place with the then connected to by an inner clamping member, such as member ll of Fig. 1, and an outer member such as member I of Fig. l, which carries a gasket, engaging the outer surface of outer flange 22. From the foregoing description of the apparatus of Fig. 3 it will be understood that the adaptor 20 and parts associated therewith constitute a unit wh ch may move axially and radially within the limits permitted by annulus 23, and that such annulus is sufllciently still and rigid so as not to be distorted materially under normal movements of such unit.

Having thus others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, we state that what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is deflned in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a tank for liquid having a flexible cell wall provided with an opening. a supporting wall provided with an opening aligned with the opening in said flexible wall, a connection comprising a hollow adaptor disposed in said openings, means forming a liquid seal between the adaptor and the exterior side of said flexible wall, means permitting limited relative movement of the adaptor and the supporting wall and including axially spaced surfaces on the adaptor and a stiff member secured to the supporting wall and projecting into the space between said surfaces. V

2. In a tank for liquid having a flexible cell wall provided with an opening defined by a cylin drical surface, a supporting wall provided with by a cylindricaisurface of larger diameter and axially aligned with said cell wall opening, a connection comprising a hollow adaptor having a cylindrical portion emageable withthe surface defining the cell wall open ng, a flange projecting from the adaptor and engageable with the outer surface of the cell wall adjacent to the opening thru the latter, means inoperating with said eluding a clamping member surroundim the inner end of the adaptor for and flange together with liquid and a multi-part annulus secured to the supporting wall adjacent to the opening thru the latter, said annulus being disposed at the outer side of said flange less than the outside diameter oi said flange and greater than the outside diameter of the adaptor to permit limited radial movement of the adaptor relative to the supporting wall. and means coannulus to limit axial movement of said adaptor.

3. In combination with a tank for liquid having a flexible cell wall provided with an opening therethru, a supporting wall provided with a cylindrical opening larger than, and axially alig ed with, the opening in the cell wall, a connection comprising a hollow cylindrical adaptor provided with parallel, axially spaced, outwardly extending, in ner and outer flanges whose outside diameters are larger than the diameter of said cell wall opening and smaller than the diameter of said supporting wall opening, means including a member surrounding the inner end of said adaptor to press the cell wall about its opening into liquid sealing contact withthe inner surface of the inthe adaptor and less than described the invention so that I ner flange, and a multi-part annulus for limitin relative movement of the adaptor and supporting wall, said annulus comprising parts attached to the supporting wall and projecting into the space between said flanges. said parts having an inner diameter greater than the outside diameter of the outside diameters of the flanges and a thickness less than the ax'ul distance between the flanges. and being suinciently rigid to prevent deflection thereof by forces normally applied thereto by the adaptor. 4. In a tank for liquid, 1!. flexible cell wall havingan opening therethru and a relatively nondeformable ring embedded therein about said opening, a supporting wall provided with a larger diameter opening therethru and axially aligned with said cell wall opening, a hollow adaptor having a cylindrical portion engageable with the surface defining the cell wall opening, a flange projecting from the adaptor and engageable with the outer surface of the cell wall around its opening and coaxial with said ring, means including a clampmg member surroundin the inner end of the adaptor for compressing the portion of the cell wall between the the surface of the wall against the flange with liquid sealing contact and a multi-part annulus secured to the supporting wall adjacent to the opening thru the latter, said annulusbeing disposed at the outer side of said flange and having an inner diameter less than the outside diameter of said flange and greater than the outside dico meter of the adaptor to permit limited radial movement of the adaptor relative to the supporting wall and means cooperating with said annulus to limit axial movement of said adaptor relative thereto.

WILLIAM K EBEL. FRANCIS J. PEPERSACK.

pressingthecellwall seallngcontact and 118m an inner diameter ring and flange and pressing 

